Fabulous Pork Tacos

Salsa to serve with pork tacos-mix and set aside

1 cup fresh corn kernels-can use canned corn

1 cup finely diced jicama

1 cup can black beans, rinsed-I use the full can

1 cup chopped tomatoes

4 TB chopped cilantro

2-3 TB fresh lime juice

1/4-1/2 tsp cumin

1/4-1/2 tsp salt

Take 1 lb pork tenderloin and cut into 2” stripes about 1/8” thick

Mix this dry rub together and then rub on tenderloin stripes

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp salt

Saute tenderloin stripes over a medium heat for about 4 mins on each side.

Serve with corn tortillas.  Place spoon of guacamole, then salsa then pork and enjoy!

-Natalie

Gyoza (Pot stickers)

1/2 cup thinly chopped cabbage

2 TB chopped green onion

1/2 lb ground pork or I use ground turkey

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp sugar

2 tsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp garlic

1 tsp grated fresh ginger

25 round gyoza wrappers (produce department by tofu)

Mix all ingredients together.  Place 1 tsp of filling in center of gyoza wrapper.  Dip fingertip in water and run along edge of wrapper and make semicircle, gathering the front side of wrapper and sealing top.  Heat a small drop of oil in frying pan and place gyozas in pan and fry on high heat for 1 min until bottoms are brown.  Add 1/3 cup water in pan and cover pan with lid to steam gyoza-you don’t need to turn the gyoza over.

Dipping sauce

4 TB soy sauce

4 TB vinegar

1/2 tsp to 1 tsp hot peopper oil

1-2 TB Worcestershire sauce

1-2 tsp sugar to taste

- Natalie

Herbed Pork Chops with Apple Chutney

Apple Chutney

2 C. chopped, peeled apples
1/4 C. golden raisins (or regular if that’s all you have on hand)
1/4 C. honey
1 1/2 Tbs. cider vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground mustard
1/4 tsp. curry powder

In a large saucepan, combine the apples, raisins, honey, vinegar, salt, ginger, mustard and curry. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes or until apples are tender.

* I usually double this (sometimes triple) to ensure there's PLENTY for topping the pork chops and saucing up the rice a bit.

Herbed Pork Chops

2 Tbs. flour
1/4 tsp. ground sage
1/4 tsp. dried, crushed thyme
4-6 boneless pork chops (about 3/4 inch thick)
2 Tbs. butter or margarine
1/4 C. chicken broth (or apple sauce or chutney to deglaze the pan)

-On waxed paper, combine flour, sage and thyme. Coat chops lightly with mixture.
-In 10 inch skillet over medium-high heat, melt margarine and cook chops 10 minutes or until browned on both sides. Push chops to one side of skillet.
-Stir in chicken broth (or apple mixture) to loosen brown bits. Reduce heat to low. Cover; cook 3-5 minutes until chops are fork tender. Serve chops with brown rice and apple chutney or applesauce.

-Steph

China Sun Pork

1 can (20 oz.) pineapple tidbits
3 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. cornstarch
1 tsp. white vinegar
1 lb. pork or ham – cut in small cubes
1/8 cup vegetable oil or chicken broth
¼ cup brown sugar
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 tsp. ground ginger
½ onion, cut into fourths
1 cup sliced baby carrots
1 green pepper, cut in chunks

Drain pineapple – reserve ¼ cup juice and mix with ½ cup water, soy sauce, cornstarch, vinegar and set aside. Brown pork or ham in oil or chicken broth. Add to meat garlic and ginger. Cook 1 minute. Add onion and carrots and cook 1 minute. Stir in sauce and brown sugar and add pineapple and green bell peppers.  Cook 'till sauce boils and thickens some. Serve over plain rice. Delicious! Makes 6 – 8 servings.

-Sarah

Ragu

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1 cup dry white wine

½ lb veal (any cut)

½ lb Italian sausage

½ lb pork (any cut)

2 14 oz cans tomato sauce

2 28 oz cans diced tomatoes or tomato puree

1½  – 2 teaspoons salt

Heat oil in large pot, add onions and sauté until tender. Add meats. Brown all sides. Add wine

and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the tomatoes and sauce. Bring to a boil, add salt and then let simmer with the lid on for about 6 hours. Stir about every 15-20 minutes.

-Lisa

Sweet and Sour Pork

1 1/2 lbs pork, cooked and cubed

2 Tbsp fat

3/4 c water

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 c brown sugar

1/3 c vinegar

1 c pineapple juice, use juice from can and enough water to make one cup

1 Tbsp soy sauce

3/4 c green pepper strips

1/4 c thinly sliced onion

1 can pineapple chunks

Brown pork, add water and simmer one hour.  Combine next 6 ingredients and pour over pork.  Let stand 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the green pepper, onion and pineapple chunks.  Serve over rice.

-Camille

Crispy Baked Pork Tenderloin

(from momswhothink.com)

1 pork tenderloin (1 pound), cut crosswise into 1-inch medallions

¼ cup butter, melted

¼ cup mayonnaise

4 to 5 teaspoons prepared mustard

1 ¼ cups crushed herb-seasoned stuffing mix

1. Flatten pork tenderloin pieces to ¼-in. to ½-in. thickness.

2. In a shallow bowl, combine butter, mayonnaise and mustard; dip tenderloin pieces, then roll in stuffing crumbs.

3. Place in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan.

4. Bake, uncovered, at 425 degrees F for 13-16 minutes or until juices run clear. Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.

-Lindsay

Stuffed Ham Rolls

(also great with just the topping as a regular roll)

2 one-pound loaves of Rhodes bread dough or 16 Rhodes rolls

1/2 lb. Thinly sliced ham

1/4 lb. Monterrey jack cheese

1/4 c melted butter

1/4 t. parsley flakes

1/4 t. garlic powder

1/2 c. parmesan cheese (grated in the green can)

Thaw dough. Cut loaves into 4 pieces or put 2 rolls together. Flatten into a 4-by-8-inch rectangle. Put cheese in center of dough. Top with ham. Seal edges and ends well. Roll finished stick in butter and lay on cookie sheet seam side down. Mix cheese and seasonings and sprinkle on top. Let rise for 10-15 minutes. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until brown. Makes 8 large breadsticks.

-Lindsay

Smoky Slow Cooker Chili

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 pound boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 cups chopped onion
• 1 3/4 cups chopped green bell pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup lager-style beer (such as Budweiser)
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 tomatillos, quartered
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans plum tomatoes, undrained and chopped
• 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added pinto beans, drained
• 1 (7 3/4-ounce) can Mexican hot-style tomato sauce (such as El Paso)
• 1 smoked ham hock (about 8 ounces)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
• 1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled queso fresco
• 8 lime wedges

Preparation

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add ground pork to pan; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to slightly crumble. Drain well. Transfer pork to an electric slow cooker.
2. Recoat pan with cooking spray. Add pork shoulder; cook 5 minutes or until lightly browned, turning occasionally. Transfer pork to slow cooker.
3. Recoat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and bell pepper; sauté 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in beer; cook 1 minute. Transfer onion mixture to slow cooker. Add chili powder, and next 9 ingredients (through ham hock) to slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 5 hours or until meat is tender. Remove bay leaves and ham hock; discard. Stir in sugar. Ladle about 1 1/3 cups chili into each of 8 bowls; top each serving with 1 tablespoon cilantro, 1 tablespoon green onions, and 1 tablespoon cheese. Serve each serving with 1 lime wedge.
Note: You can also cook the chili in a slow cooker on LOW for 8 hours. For cooking chili on the stovetop, use a total of 12 ounces beer and simmer, covered, for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the pork shoulder is tender.
Recipe from Cooking Light

-Cheryl

Cafe Rio Meal

Café Rio Pork

            2 lb. pork roast

            2 liter bottle Coke

            2 – 15 oz. cans enchilada sauce

            ½ c. brown sugar

            1/3 c. grated cheese

Place pork in crock pot and season with salt and pepper, then cover with Coke.  Cook for 4-5 hours on low, then drain and shred.  Mix ¾ can enchilada sauce and brown sugar and pour over pork.  Serve with Café Rio rice and beans with tortilla chips or in burritos.

                                               

                       

Café Rio Beans and Rice

            Beans (heat over stove):

            1 can black or pinto beans

            1/3 c. tomato juice

            garlic salt

            1 t. cumin

            ½ t. salt

            Rice: 

            1 ½ c. rice, 3 c. water in rice cooker

            1 chicken boullion cube for each cup of water

            garlic salt

            lime zest, or lime juice

            sugar

            cilantro (optional)

-Erin

Favorite Pork Tenderloin

RUB: 

            2 tsp. salt

½ tsp. black pepper

½ tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix together and coat tenderloin (2 ½ lbs meat)

PREP & BROWN:  2 Tbs. olive oil in oven-proof skillet over med-hi heat until just beginning to smoke. Brown pork, turning about 4 minutes total. Leave pork in skillet.

GLAZE:

            1 C. packed brown sugar

            2 Tbs. finely chopped garlic
            1 Tbs. Tabasco (I have never used the Tabasco. I usually just put
            1 Tbs. vinegar and about 1/8 tsp. cayenne).

Stir together and coat on top of tenderloin. Roast in middle of oven at 350 degrees until meat thermometer inserted diagonally registers 145 degrees. About 20 min. Let pork stand at room temp for 10 minutes until it reaches 155 degrees.  

I have also prepared this meal in the crock pot. I use a larger cut of meat and do all the steps through glazing. Then I just put it in the crock pot, on low, for four or more hours or on high for up to four hours.

Making it the crock pot way gets the meat really tender and almost shread-able for sandwiches or pitas. I use the extra juices to pour over brown rice as a side dish.

The best part about this meal is that your house smells wonderful even after only doing the first step and gets even better as it cooks! You will love it!

-Steph